Method for packaging viscous food preparations



Nov. 8, 1955 H. PYENSON 2,723,200

METHOD FOR PACKAGING VISCOUS FOOD PREPARATIONS Filed Nov. 8, 1950 I, r/4 L I 1 l /f INVENTOR. I BFIARRY PYENSON (L-M (J/M40 ATM/9166K UnitedStates Patent METHOD FOR PACKAGING VISCOUS FOOD PREPARATIONS ApplicationNovember 8, 1950, Serial No. 194,588

1 Claim. (Cl. 99-171) This invention relates in general to certain newand useful improvements in a method for packaging viscous foodpreparations for facilitating the dispensing thereof.

Heretofore, food preparations of relative high viscosity, such asmayonnaise, chili sauce, syrups, and the like, have been customarilypackaged within glass jars, long-necked glass bottles, and tin cans.With such food items packaged in cans and jars, the user often resortsto a spoon or similar implement for assisting the flow of the materialtherefrom, whereas with long-necked bottles, such as in the case ofcatsup, the user must strike the base of the bottle rather forcibly toeffect flow of the food preparation. In addition to the inherentdifficulty in the dispensing of such food preparations there isordinarily a dehydrating effect whereby a surface crust will, in manycases, form so that in the discharge of the contents the force appliedto rupture the crust is usually of such proportion as to cause, uponbreaking of the crust, the material to flow out at a rate greater thanthat desired. I

Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to provide amethod for assuring steady and controllable flow of viscous foodpreparations which encompasses subjection of such preparation to a gasat a pressure greatly in excess of the atmospheric pressure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method ofthe character stated wherein the foodpropelling gas will not interreactwith the food preparation, either chemically or physically, andhencesolely provides a driving or expelling force upon release thereof.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in thenovel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination ofparts presently described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing- The figure is a transverse sectional viewof a suitable type container for dispensing food preparations inaccordance with the method of the present invention.

Referring now by reference characters to the figure, A designates acontainer having a body portion 1 enclosed by a top member 2 withinwhich is disposed a valve 3 adapted for rocking movement to permitdischarge of the container contents through the stern thereof and havingassociated therewith sealing means 4. The dispensing container A, beingof the type shown and fully described in the copending application ofAaron S. Lapin, Serial No. 90,807, filed May 2, 1949, representsgenerically the type of container most appropriate for the operation ofthe method herein to be described. As will become more apparenthereinafter, other type valved containers such as those of the siphontype may be used with facility for the practice of the presentinvention.

In packaging food preparations which are somewhat resistant to flow,such as catsup, chili sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressings, appleand other fruit butters, boiled icings, chocolate sauce, marshmallowtoppings, and related items, the body portion 1 of the container A isfilled with a suflicient quantity of the particular foo d preparation,designated b'in' the figure to leave a substantial unfilled area denoteda. The top 2 with the dispensing valve 3 mounted thereon is then spun orotherwise suitably sealed onto the body portion 1. The air in theunfilled portion a is then evacuated therefrom, and an inert'gas,preferably nitrogen, is then fed under considerable pressure through thevalve 3 into the evacuated portion a. For the purposes of the presentmethod, a range of pressures may be used which depend, in part, upon therelative viscosity of the food preparation to be dispensed and, in part,upon the ratio of the filled portion 11 of the container A to theunfilled portion a thereof. In practice, it has been found desirable tofill the container A with the food preparations to about sixty percent(60%) capacity. With mustard, catsup, salad dressing, and the like, thepressure of gas in the portion a is preferably one hundred and twentypounds per square inch whereas with thicker or more viscouspreparations, such as chili sauce, chocolate syrup, and the like, apressure of one hundred and fifty (150) pounds per square inch isrequisite to provide a dispensing action comparable in character. It is,of course, apparent that if the container A is filled to less than sixtypercent (60%) capacity, the pressure of the gas may be proportionatelyreduced.

Herein, nitrogen is the preferred gas to be used since 3 it is mosteconomical and possesses the desired characteristics of chemicalinertness, lack of odor, and highly limited solubility in Water. Any ofthe rare gases such as'xenon, kyrpton, argon, and helium might be usedbut the cost thereof would be prohibitive. Carbon dioxide and nitrousoxide, which have been utilized generally with relation to the aerationor flufi'ing of cream are not suitable since they will react with thecontainer ingredients and dissolve therein, which on expulsion willcause a,

fluffing or aeration and in some instances effect an undesiredalteration of flavor.

When the user desires to dispense some of the contents of the containerA, the same is inverted whereupon the gas and the food preparation will,in effect, change places so that the gas will continue to be disposed inupper position. Upon actuation of the valve 3, by rocking same, thepressure of the gas will drive the food preparation downwardly throughand out the valve 3. It will thus be seen that the gas serves solely asa driving or propelling force of sufficient intensity to expell the foodpreparation overcoming its inherent resistance to flow in a positive,smooth, and controlled manner. Of particular note is the fact that thereis no substantial intermixture between the gas and the food preparation.The food preparation dispensed is not in an aerated or fluffed conditionand does not physically hold particles of the gas. The gas thus remainsindependent and distinct from the food preparation which it acts upon.

As the food preparation is used, the pressure of the gas within thecontainer A will, of course, progressively reduce. However, due to thevalue of the initial pressure, it will always maintain adequate relativeforce for discharging the contents of the container A upon release.

The distinction between the method herein taught and that utilized inaerated cream is most obvious. In the latter procedure it is requisitethat the gases therein used, which are nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide,be dissolved in the cream prior to release of the gas pressure, andsevere agitation is utilized to assist the dissolution of the gas. Inthe present method there is no dissolution or reaction whatever betweenthe propellent and the food of the. several partsrofathecmethod forpackaging viscous food preparations and in the step of its productionmay be made and substituted for those herein shown and described withoutdeparting from the nature and principle of the present invention.

Having thus described ;my invention,.w.hat!I elaimzt-a-nd desire tosecure by Letters-Patent is:

The method of protectively wpackaging viscous products to-be dispensedunder pressure without aeration, comprising the steps of partiallyfilling'such product into a 10 gas-pressure container having-a valve,evacuating 1th 4 'air'from the unfilled portion of the container,filling'the void with nitrogen gas under pressure, and closing suchvalve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 34,894Lynde Apr. 8, 1862 991,725 Kennedy May 9, 1911 2,120,297 ReineckeQn June14, 1938 2,294,172 Getz Aug. 25, 1942

